Schnickel faces six felony counts, including two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct, as well as three further counts of engaging in electronic communication relating to or describing sexual conduct with a child...

Authorities said when Schnickel figured out that police were investigating him last month, he went back to the victims and told them to deny everything.

Authorities say Schnickel had sex with some of the girls, but not all of them, but said it's possible there may be more victims.

According to the Star Tribune, Schnickel was placed on paid administrative leave January 24 -- two weeks before he was arrested. He was most recently assigned to work in North Minneapolis.

Schnickel "tried to intimidate girls he had sex with," Lyden reports. His bail has been set at $500,000 without conditions, or $250,000 on the condition that he has no contact with girls, including his young daughters.

KARE reports that Schnickel's wife was in attendance at the courtroom during his appearance today.

:::: UPDATE ::::

It isn't clear whether Schnickel was fired or resigned, but one way or the other, he's no longer a Minneapolis cop.

Late this morning, MPD spokesman Stephen McCarty tweeted this:

Schnickel is not employed by the City, his last date of employment is February 8, 2013.

I would argue that any time an adult has sex with (or rapes, as other posters have correctly pointed out) a child, it's equally creepy. An older perpetrator may cause a more negative visceral reaction, but it's still equally wrong for exactly the same reasons, and causes the same amount of damage to the victim's life. 22, 32, potayto, potahto.

@CinBlueland "I find the guy a bit creepy, but what's the difference 18yr old doing porn or 16yo? " One is a legal adult, the other is a minor. Either way it's still called "rape" if they can't consent due to intoxication.